Wire fastener



G. F. VOIGHT June 8 1926.

WIRE FASTENER Filed Dec. 19, 1925 Patented June 8, 1926.

UNI-TED STATES enema r. voxen'r, or onxmmn, ca'uronnm.

WIRE FASTELIEB.

application filed December 18, 1925. Serial No. 76,561.

My invention relates to improvements in wire fasteners particularly adapted for securing wire lath in outstanding relation to the wall sheathing of stucco structures, although also useful for other purposes; and one of the objects of the invention is to pro vide a wire fastener in which a spacing element is carried on a driven element and operatively relatively movable for cooperating therewith for engaging and binding the wire lath between portions thereof for spacing and attaching it to the wall sheathing; a further object is to provide means projecting out from the side of the driven element, engageable with the spacing element for normally limiting its movement on said driven element longitudinally of the latter.

With the foregoing and still further objects and purposes in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention hereinsdisclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention. 7

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wire fastener constructed in accordance with my invention, disposed in engagement with a fragmental portion of the wall sheathing preparatory to attaching it thereto, and a cross sectional view of a portion of the wire lath supported by the spacing element;

F1 re 2 is a sectional elevation of the wall sheat ing with the fastener shown in vertical elevation attached thereto, a portion of the wire lath bonfined between the head of the driven element and the spacing element, and a section of stucco composition inthe immediate background;

Figure 3 is another view in elevation of the astener as it appears in its permanent position attached to, the wall sheathing;

Figure 4 is a vertical median sectional view of the lower portion of the fastener, showing the spacing element in its normal position relative to the driven element, and a transverse sectional view of a portion of the wire lath seated on the spacing element;

Figure 5 is a plan view on line 5'5 of Figure 6 is an intermediate lan view on line 66' of Fig. 3;

Figure 7 is a sectional View on line 5'5' of Fig. 1, of the nail removed from the spacing element;

Figure 8 is a sectional view of the nail on line 88, Fig. 1; and

Figure 9 is a strip of sheet metal from which the spacing element is formed, Showing a step in its construction.

' Figures I, 5, 6, 7 and 8 being drawn on a larger scale than Figures 1, 2, 3 and 9.

Referring to the drawings in detail, throughout which like reference characters designatelike parts:

The numeral 1 designates the wall sheathing of a stucco structure, and comprises, preferably, boards of equal thickness attached in close-jointed order at the face of the studs and other timbers forming the frame work of the exterior walls thereof.

Across the face of the wall sheathing 1 is preferably disposed a sheathing of building paper 2, which is intended asa waterproofing for preventing exterior moisture that may find its way through the stucco composition, penetrating to the woodwork of the structure. However, ifpreferred, the

building paper may be eliminated.

Inasmuch as it is entirely optional whetheror not the wall sheathing 1 is provided with the building paper 2, and as the employment, or omission, thereof does not in any Way aflect the application or operation or functioning of the present fastener, the term, wall sheathing, or sheathing, when the same appears hereinafter, is intended to be construed to mean any wall covering attached to the frame timbers of thewall, either with or without another covering of building paper, to which the fasteners are attached and which forms the backing against which the stucco compositlon is spread.

3 designates the spacing element, and 4 the driven element, of my improved wire fastener.

The driven element 4 comprises a nail having the conventional cylindrical shank 5 and a flat head 6.

Intermediate the ends of the shank 5 are a pair of side projections 7, which project laterally outwardly from the periphery of the shank on opposite sides and are formed,

preferably, by pressing indentations 8 into the shank thereby forcing portions thereof outwardly aproper distance and in the form desired.

The spacin element 3 comprises a strip of sheet meta bent to form, an intermediate lath seat 9, which is provided with a central opening 10 and has its ends folded double to form a pair of opposed upwardly projecting retaining lips 11 inclining outwardly towards their upper ends, and side supports 12 extending from the base of said lips downwardly e ual distances and terminate at right ang es inwardly equal distances in a common plane to form a base plate 14.

The free ends of the side supports 12 are provided with opposed arcuations 13, which cooperate to forma central opening 15 extending through the base plate 14.

The spacing element is in the general form of a box open at the front and rear when viewed in elevation as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4:.

The spacing element 3 is normally sup ported on the shank 5 in the relative position as 'best shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and in which position the projections 7 are disposed between the lath seat 9 and the base plate 14, with the shank 5 projecting through the openings 10 and 15. While the diameters of the openings 10 and 15 are preferably such, relative to the diameter of the shank 5, that the spacing element may freely rotate on the shank, they are substantially smaller in diameter than the maximum diameter of said shank through the projections 7, which causes the latter to engage the lower side of the lath seat 9 when it is moved vertically downwardly, thereby normally limiting its movement in the .latter direction, and to engage the upper side of the base plate 14 when the spacing element is moved vertically upwardly, thereby normally limiting its movement in an upwardly direction, relative to the driven element.

The spacing element is preferably factory assembled on the driven element, and the projections 7 are preferably formed after assembling.

To apply-the fastener for attaching the wire lath 16 to the wall sheathing 1, its forward end including the spacing element 3, is projected through the desired mesh of the lath, with the shank 5 disposed in close relation with one of the wires forming said mesh and with the point of the shank engaging the wall sheathlng (see Fig.

i 1.), it is then driven into the latter until the head 6 enga es and bindsthe wire lath firmly against t e lath seat 9 between one of the lips 11 and the shank 5, and the base plate 14 firmly seats against the sheathing (see Fig. 2).

As the shank 5 is driven forwardly into the wall sheathing, and the s acing element engages the latter the pro ections 7 engage and force their way through the base plate 14, either by tea-ring out small portions of the plate at the margin of the opening 15, by forcing the two members forming said plate apart sufiiciently to admit of the projections passing there tween, or by both tearing and forcing said members apart. Such tearing or forcing apart of these members does not in the least interfere with the proper functioning of fastener for attaching and spacing the lath wire to the wall sheathing.

The fasteners may be disposed along the Wall sheathing at such intervals as found best suited for the work to be performed. 1 have found by practice that spacing them about 8 inches apart provides ample fastening'for the general type of wire lath. It is to be understood that any suitable variety or type of lath may be attached with my fasteners, including the type commonly known as poultry wire.

After attaching the wire lath to the wall sheathing, the stucco composition is preferably applied by spreading it on the wall sheathing and on and around the wire lath and the exposed portions of the fasteners, until a coating of suitable thickness is obtained.

The retaining lips 11 are adapted for limiting lateral movement of the lath 16 on the lath seat 9, and also for engaging the lath for stretching it preparatory to securing it to the wall sheathing.

Heretofore wire fasteners have been invented in which the spacing element is frictionally held on the driven element by pressing thereagainst from opposite sides. This arrangement however I have found does not work out very well in practice. In the first place, for economical reasons it is necessary to construct the spacing element of comparatively thin metal, which does not provide sufficient spring pressure against the comparatively smooth surface of a nail to resistremoval therefrom during the handling, packing and transporting of the fasteners, and in the second place, when the fastener is employed, as is frequently desirable, for stretching the lath preparatory to attaching it to the sheathing, and for doing which the spacing element is made to engage the lath to be stretched and the fastener then used as a lever for drawin the lath soengaged in "the direction in w ich it is desired to stretch it, it has been found that the resistance of the lath invariably draws the spacing element down to'the extreme lower end of the driven element, and not infrequently stri s it ofl entirel without accomplishing t e desired stretc ing of the lath. The spacing element of my improved fastener 1s, for reasons of the projections 7, more securely retained on-the driven element, and ma be readily employed for stretching the ath without danger of moving the spacing element from its normal position on the driven element.

I claim: I

1. A wire fastener comprising, a nail having a shank provided on one si e with 9. lateral projection, and a spacing'element having portions engagin portions of said shank above and below sai projection.

2. A wire fastener comprising, a nail having a shank provided with a lateral projection on one side, and a spacing element embracin portions of said shank above and beand a driven element having a' shank having a projection on one si e ,disposed be-' tween' said openings, said spacing element engageable with said projection when moved in either direction along said shank longitudinally, for normally limiting its movement in said directions.

4. A wire fastener comprising, a spacin element formed of a strip of flat metal an provided with' a lath seat, and a cooperating nail having a shank projecting through the spacin element through saidlath seat, said shank aving a lateral projection on one side adapted to engage said lath seat for normally limiting the movement of said spacing element on said shank in one direction axially relative thereto.

5. A wire fastener comprising, a spacing element havinga portion adapted to seat against a support, and a cooperatin nail having a shank projecting through sai portion, said shank having a lateral pro'ection on one side engageable with said portion for normally limit ng the movement of said portlOiIII in a direction towards the head of said na a 6. A wire fastener comprising, a driven element having a shank provided with a lateral projection on one side, and a cooperating spacing element having portions disposed on opposite sides of said shank above said projection and having portions disposed on opposite sides of said shank below said projection, said projection engageable with spaced portions of said spacing element for [normally limiting its movement vertically on said shank in either direction.

7. Awire fastener comprising, a spacin element having a portion adapted to sea against a support, said portion having an opening, and a cooperating nail' having a shank projecting through said opening, said shank having a ateral projection on oneside engageable, with the upper side of said portion for normally limlting the upward movement of said spacing element relative .to said shank, said projection adapted to penetrate said portion at the margin of said opening and pass through said portion when said shank is operatively driven in said sup,- port for attaching sald spacing element thereto.

8. A wire fastener comprising, a spacin element formed'of a strip of sheet metal an embodying a lath seat having lath retaining projections on each end and an opening between said projections and means below said lath seat engageable with a support for supporting sai ath seat in spaced relation therewith, and a cooperating nail projecting through said opening, said nail havin a head, said nail adapted to be projecte in said support for causing said head to engage and bind a lath wire on said lath seat between one of said projections and said nail.

GEORGE F. VOIGHT. 

